Recently, the evisceration of poultry has been accomplished mechanically. The evisceration has generally been divided into two separate operations. A first operation removes the major portion of the viscera while certain organs, principally the lungs, are left in place. In a subsequent operation, the remaining organs such as the lungs are removed using a vacuum tool which is mechanically inserted into the body cavity of the poultry so that it overlies the particular organs to be removed whereupon these organs such as the lungs are withdrawn by a vacuum. One of the problems associated with this vacuum eviscerating operation is that a relatively high noise level is generated when the ambient air is drawn through the access opening of the poultry and into the vacuum tool to dislodge and remove the viscera. Not only is this noise level relatively high, it is further aggravated by the fact that it is generated at about the ear level of the personnel operating the poultry processing plant. This has resulted in objections by those governmental agencies responsible for noise level control to the use of this vacuum operated equipment.
Another problem that is associated with this vacuum eviscerating operation is that the use of a vacuum to withdraw the viscera has a tendency to remove any body part which happens to not be very firmly attached within the body cavity of the bird. One of the body parts that has caused the most concern is the layer of fat that is normally associated with the interior of the body cavity, especially at the preformed access opening formed at the vent. Frequently, the vacuum eviscerating tool removes not only the viscera intended to be removed but also this layer of fat results in an undesirable significant loss of edible body weight.